


Comfort

by asario



Series: What Hurts the Most [2]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-28
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:15:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6994708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asario/pseuds/asario
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even sneaky Spymasters need comfort sometimes.  Especially when someone close gets hurt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort

At the moment, Nori was glad for all of his various hiding places. He wanted nothing more than to be alone, not see hide nor hair of a single dwarf. Ever since Óin had kicked him out of Ori’s room, he had been sullen because he was unable to keep a proper eye on his brother. Now, all he could do was wait.

“So, this is where you got to,” a familiar voice said from behind him. Nori didn’t show his surprise, but his shoulders hunched. Of all the people that had to find him, it had to be Dwalin.

“What do you want?” he muttered, not turning back. Perhaps Dwalin would get the hint and leave if he didn’t look.

“I was coming to check on you. No one has seen you since Óin forbade you and Dori from being in the room while he treated Ori.” 

“Have you thought that there might a reason for that? Like perhaps I didn’t want to be seen by anyone?” He flinched when Dwalin put his hands on his shoulders, but didn’t shake them off. He knew that if he did, then Dwalin would accept that, but he really didn’t want to.

“If that were really the case, you wouldn’t have gone somewhere that I could find you.” Nori sighed, because Dwalin was right. He was the only one who knew nearly all of Nori’s hiding spots and knew him well enough to figure out where he would be. Nori could have chosen a spot that Dwalin was unaware of, but he hadn’t. He wasn’t about to tell Dwalin that though.

“Well, now that you’ve found me, you know I’m alright, so you can leave.”

“I don’t think so.” A strong arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him back into Dwalin’s chest. “I’m not going to leave you alone right now, not when you’re in this state.”

“And what state is that exactly?”

“Guilty. Blaming yourself for something that you had no control over.” Nori didn’t say anything to that, but he did hunch in on himself a little more, as much as he was able to with Dwalin’s arm around him. “You couldn’t have stopped it. No one could know that the tunnel was unsafe.”

“I should have. Someone should have. They have been inspecting all the tunnels, how could they have missed it?”

“They didn’t.” At Nori’s snort, Dwalin’s arm tightened. “Bofur assured me that they hadn’t inspected that tunnel yet. It was among their list of tunnels that were next. They thought it sealed off, as the other tunnels had been.”

“He shouldn’t have been there. I should have been keeping a better eye on him.”

“He is a grown dwarf. You can’t keep an eye on him every moment. You both have your own duties to attend to.” The Spymaster gave a growl and pushed away from Dwalin so he could turn to glare at him.

“That doesn’t matter! I’m supposed to protect him, no one else!” When Dwalin reached for him this time, he fought weakly, but he was pulled into Dwalin’s chest.

“And you do against most things. But he also needs to find his own way. If he gets hurt, then…he will learn from that. But not always saving him does not make you a bad brother.” Nori was quiet for a moment before he buried his face in Dwalin’s neck. 

“Do you promise?” His voice sounded small and vulnerable to his own ears, but Dwalin would never comment on it. He was one of those rare dwarves, one’s that didn’t exploit a weakness like that.

“I promise. And I will see if Óin will allow you to see Ori again.” 

Nori didn’t say thank you or anything else for that matter. For now, he just let Dwalin hold him. That would have to be answer enough for him. From the way Dwalin tightened his hold, it was more than enough.


End file.
